Marion Cotillard Is Making Fishnets Great Again on the Red Carpet

At Monday evening's Paris premiere of Mal de Pierres, Marion Cotillard did the unthinkable. The French actress, whose style embodies that elusive "Frenchness" that we Americans so desperately aspire to emulate, paired her simple black wool dress (Dior, naturally) and patent black heels (also Dior, for consistency), with every basic girl's favorite Halloween accessory: fishnet stockings.

Styled with a classic red lip and side-swept curls, the ensemble was both sophisticated and daring - a difficult feat considering "classy" isn't the look most people are going for when they reach for their fishnets, especially the variety with larger holes as opposed to tightly knit pairs which appear almost opaque at a distance.

Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

Now, before we get too carried away, we should be clear that is not the first time that fishnets have graced the step-and-repeat. Punk darlings Gwen Stefani, Madonna and Courtney Love, and even red-carpet wild card Lady Gaga, have all worn the stockings (a closet staple for every rebellious teen of the '80s) to fancier events.

However, they have typically been styled with bodysuits, short shorts or with other loud and sexy pieces which steal the spotlight and make fishnets almost seem tame by comparison to the other flesh-baring pieces. (See, for example, Madonna's butt-baring Givenchy look from the 2015 Grammys.)

However, Cotillard, a Dior ambassador who does not work with a stylist, has just proven that not only can you actually recycle the accessory you purchased for this year's French maid costume, but you can do so in a classy way.

Perhaps the 41-year-old took a peek at the not-so-distant past for inspiration, as both Creatures of the Wind and Maison Margiela paraded fishnets on the runway for their spring 2016 collections, which debuted last September.

It remains to be seen if any other emboldened stars try the look for fall.